It is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind, for who is happy who does not serve? Hence it
follows that service requires sacrifice. It is the foundation stone of every enterprise. Whatever it
may be, its success or failure depends upon whole-hearted co-operation.

And may service and sacrifice continue to be the keynote of our progressive Association. -The
Author.

(Continued from February 1928)

The Silencer Valve

The functions of this unit are (a) to cut off the top action while the transmission is in the play
position, (b) to silence any speaking note on the music roll that is passing over the tracker bar and
(c) to increase the speed of the wind motor, causing that part of the music roll that is not
desirable to pass quickly over the tracker bar. Therefore, this unit may be called the "silencer" or
speeder unit.

This control valve is usually placed on the control slip near the "play and re-roll" lever, or it may
be placed in the spool box on the bottom plate under the take-up spool. It is operated by means of
a push button and a pallet valve and is, in some types of actions, controlled by the play and
rewind lever when it is placed in the "silent" position.

In some types of pneumatic actions the wind motor may speed up under heavy pumping, but not
under normal pumping (unless there is a broken connecting tube from the pallet valve to the
silencer button). Should the motor speed up under heavy pumping look at the spring pallet valve
under the key bed, remove the rubber tubing, and with a short piece of tubing connect to the
pallet valve block, and test for leaks. There may be a small bit of dirt under the pallet, or the
spring may be too weak to permit the pallet lip to cover the nipple snugly. To overcome this
strengthen the spring.

Again, the rubber tubing may be broken at the brass nipple, or the brass nipple may be loose in
the wooden block. In some types of actions the pallet valve is connected through a two or
three-way wood block that has two or three channels in it. Leaks may develop in this two or
three-way block through shrinkage of the wood, which allows a slow seepage of outside air to
pass between the outer edges of the brass nipples; and while it is not noticeable under normal
pumping it will be under heavy pumping. The remedy is a small amount of heavy shellac around
the offending nipple.

In shellacking the nipples, care should be taken not to force the brass nipple too far in to the
block, as it is apt to stop the channel and prevent the unit from acting, especially on re-roll, in
certain types of actions.

The Auto Sustaining Pedal Pneumatic

The purpose of this unit is to raise the dampers away from the piano strings and to prolong or
sustain the musical tone or tones. This unit may be a one, two or three-valved unit, depending en
the design of the maker, and is controlled in two or three different manners; that is, (a) from the
tracker port through the sustaining or loud pedal switch in the spool box, (b) by means of a lever
on the control slip, or (c) by means of a push button-controlled pallet valve on the control slip. If
other conditions are equal. this unit is rapid in action, and seldom gives any trouble.

Remember that the types of valves in this unit are the same as in the pneumatic action, and that
they require the same remedies. Should this unit fail, under long usage, to function in the proper
manner the valve or valves may become noisy in operation, which indicates too much valve
motion. The remedy is the same as in the case of ordinary valves, that is, to build up the top seat
of the valve with paper punchings. The levers connecting from the control slip should be free,
with no binding or friction. By inspection, means will be found to regulate lost motion, although
in the older types it may be necessary to build up on the arm of the pneumatic by means of felt or
leather punchings.

The push button control that is located in the control slip has a pallet valve, and is "teed" into the
tubing coming from the loud pedal switch in the spool box. Should it fail to act in the proper
manner, it requires the same remedy that has been explained for the speeder or silencer pallet
valve.

The Automatic Soft Pedal

This unit is controlled through a tracker bar port on the right side, and its function is to raise the
hammers upward to the strings in the grand type and forward in the upright. In some types of
reproducing grands the action shifts, as when the left pedal is used on the piano, and may be used
in combination, that is, to raise the hammers and shift the action at the same time, which give
exceedingly fine shading to the reproduction of the music. Provision is made to take care of lost
motion in the shifting or lifting mechanism, which is covered fully in the service manual of the
action in question. Should the valve and the bleed fail to operate in the proper manner, keep in
mind that it requires the same attention as any other valve. In a following article in this series the
function and operation of the pedal governor, or pedal regulator, will be treated.

The Divided Hammer Rail

The divided hammer rail is controlled by levers on the control slip, marked "bass" and "treble".
Or it may be of the button, pallet valve control type. Although, as a rule, the hammer rail is
divided in two pans, as mentioned, in some types of actions the rail is divided in three parts,
"bass", "treble" and "tenor".

In the button controlled type hammer rail division there is a pallet valve, connected to the lifting
pneumatic, which pneumatic may be installed in the upper part of the piano and connected
directly with the hammer rail. Or it may be placed underneath the key board and connected by
means of metal rods to the hammer rail, and does not act until the button is depressed, admitting
outside air to the valve. In the hammer rail which is divided in three parts the three ports on the
control slip are always exposed to outside air, and do not act unless one of the ports is closed
with the tip of the finger. In this type there is also provision for adjusting the travel of that
portion of the rail that is raised toward the strings. These adjustments are treated in the service
manual of the maker.

When the divided rail is controlled by levers on the control slip the levers should act freely
without binding, lost motion or noise when coming back to rest after being released by the
fingers. In the valve controlled type there are valves and bleeds which require the same care and
remedies as ordinary valves.

The Bellows, or Exhauster

This unit, which is known by several different names, namely, "bellows", "exhauster", "pump",
and so forth, is used for the sole purpose of reducing the atmosphere within the pneumatic action
and, in conjunction with a system of equalizers, to maintain reduced air pressure of the
alternating pressure of the feet upon the foot pedals, and in every case is of sufficient size and of
sufficiently sturdy construction to meet the most extreme demands on it, either of heavy or soft
pumping. This unit will rarely give any trouble, even under adverse conditions.

Pallet valve trouble may develop in a player piano where a combination of foot pump and electric
drive is used. That is, where the foot pump, or exhauster, has stood idle for considerable time the
outside valves may become inoperative, on account of the valves sticking to the outer leaf of the
exhaust pneumatic. The remedy is to remove the unit and slip a thin, flat steel, such as is used to
slip under a loose bridge, under the outer edges of the leather valve and work around the edges so
as to loosen it. Be careful not to force the small spring upward too much. If this is done the valve
will not seat tightly.

It is an actual fact that the exhauster, or bellows, gives little, if any trouble under normal
conditions, and will under actual test outwear two or three pneumatic stacks. It is a good plan
when the unit is removed from the piano to inspect the exhaust springs, both the inside and
outside springs. To inspect tie inside springs remove the small packed panel on the face of the
bellows, or the exhauster. If the springs are found on the weak side they may be strengthened by
grasping the points of the springs and bending outward, or they may be weakened by placing the
blade of a heavy screw driver at the inside bend where the leaves are riveted and bending inward,
starting from the bend upward and pressing in at an even pressure while working upward toward
the tips of the springs. Feeder springs should be of equal strength in pairs, otherwise the foot
"feel" will not be correct.

In the next article in this series I shall deal with electric motors before going into the electric
expression players.

This page was last revised
May 14, 2017 by John A. Tuttle, who Assumes No
LiabilityFor The Accuracy or Validity of the Statements and/or Opinions
Expressed within the Pages of the Player-Care Domain. Cartoon Graphics by E7 Style Graphics (Eric T Styles)

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